so this is the new year...

I'm not very good at making resolutions. Scratch that. I'm REALLY good at making resolutions, but not so good at keeping them. I feel no shame in admitting this, because who is good at keeping resolutions? I mean, I suppose if you set tiny resolutions, like, I don't know, buying a new set of curtains, it's pretty easy to keep them, so maybe that's the way to go?

I'm fairly certain that my main problem is making my resolutions too broad. Also, calling them resolutions totally bites, so I'm going to call them goals instead. That seems much healthier, really, because aren't we all supposed to have goals? Or, like, a five year plan? I need to get one of those, too. So here are some of my goals for 2010. Specific goals, not generic goals like to lose weight and save money because DUH those are great goals but how will I do that? Oh, wait, here's how SUCKERS! Sorry. Anyway.

1. Get up earlier before work. This will be difficult because of my new work schedule, which gives me every other Friday off, but in return, I have to get to the office earlier every day. I think I can do it, though. Does anyone know how to disable the snooze button on an alarm clock?
2. Work out in the mornings. I have done this several times in the past, and even though I always want to die when I'm dragging myself out of bed, I feel so much better all day when I work out in the morning. PLUS I get the satisfaction of knowing that I can come home from work and do nothing, or better yet...
3. Cook a healthy dinner. I actually really like doing this, when I do it. This means I'll need to:
4. Go to the grocery more often. I hate going to the grocery. HATE IT. But I like having food in the apartment. CONUNDRUM. Actually, no, it's not a conundrum, I just need to go to the grocery more than once a month.
   
5. Plan more meals so I don't walk back and forth from the cupboards to the fridge to the freezer for half an hour, trying to decide what to make for dinner, and then end up ordering pizza because I can't figure out what else to do.
   
6. Pay more attention to how much I'm spending at the grocery store, rather than throwing things haphazardly in the cart and then wondering at checkout how I just spent $95 on a week's worth of groceries.
7. Don't go out to eat during the week. NO! Just don't. Unless it's a special occasion, like someone's birthday.
   
8. Watch less TV. This might be difficult, as I haven't been watching all that much anyway, but I think it can be done.
   
9. Spend less time dicking around on the Internets when I'm at home. That's what work is for.
   
10. Revise that pile of crap I wrote in November. Set aside 20 or 30 minutes a day to work on it, even if I really don't want to, because that's how it got written in the first place, DUH, Jennie, you're an idiot.
11. Join the Biggest Loser competition that the apartment complex is organizing (check!) and actually, I don't know, try instead of flaking out halfway through.
    
12. Run a 5K.
13. Write more thank you notes.
    
14. Go to the library more, instead of buying books all the time.
    
15. Drink more milk, eat more fruits and veggies.
    
16. Don't procrastinate so much. HAHAHAHAHA. But no, seriously, otherwise I'll end up sending wedding invitations two days before the wedding.
    
17. Eat breakfast before work, so I'm not starving when I get there because then I make bad choices. Like, chocolate donut with chocolate icing and sprinkles bad choices.
    
18. Dude, that's totally enough goals, STOP NOW.
    

I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.

First things first.

1. Happy New Year

2. Happy Birthday, Sister

I am at work today, although my body tried to hold me hostage and NOT get out of bed. I also went to bed at like 7 o'clock last night. Sort of. I needed, um, a lot of recovery from Wednesday night's festivities. I think I learned some important lessons that night. One, if you cannot even read the words to a song on Rock Band, it's probably time to go to bed. Two, if you have been drinking champagne and rum & cokes all evening, don't mix your own drinks. Or BETTER YET, stop drinking and go to bed. Things reached ridiculous levels that night. Jon spun Miguel around in circles and then Miguel ran headfirst into the bookcase. True story. It's on video. Also. I said things like this:

Technology ruins EVERYTHING.

And this:

Joe: Do you want some water?
Me: No, I'll wait for them to bring ice cubes.
Joe: ...what? Who is bringing ice cubes?
Me: [unintelligible]

I don't really remember that last part, but Joe assures me that it happened.

Anyway, around 1:30, Heidi, Joe, and I managed to drag ourselves to Wendy's, and then home. I was supposed to be at my parents' house around 4 and getting ready was like torture, which is why I ended up going over there in my pajamas. Honestly, they're lucky I showered. Then I ate way too many mashed potatoes, felt like dying, and so I went home to die in my own bed. Good times.

Deep Thoughts (not really)

So, it's that time of year where you're supposed to think about what an awful person you've been all year, and what you're going to do in the coming year to change that. I do this every year, I think. It's usually the same things: write more, eat healthier, drink less, be nicer to people, stop procrastinating, blah blah blah, and then I forget about them as soon as they're posted. So, instead of making resolutions, I'm just going to answer these questions. I did it last year. You should do it, too, so I have something to read later.

Real post to come...later...if I feel like it...so probably not. Anyway:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?

Tried to blog for 365 days straight. Then I quit my blog.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

This is as close as I came to making resolutions last year. I did not get married or pregnant, so score!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My favorite RA from college had a baby! So did my 17-year-old cousin. Oops.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Poor Bo.

5. What countries did you visit?

America?

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

A baby penguin.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

November 4th AND I THINK YOU KNOW WHY.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I didn't fall down as much.

9. What was your biggest failure?

DOWNER.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Lots. I said I didn't fall down as much, but I didn't say I didn't fall down at ALL.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A laptop.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Mine. What? I don't know.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

THIS GUY.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Target and Threadless.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

See question 7.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

I'm sure there IS one, but I can't think of it right now. So instead of thinking any longer (my head hurts), I'm going to stop and move on.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. Happier or sadder? Happier
ii. Thinner or fatter? About the same, I think
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer, but not by much

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Writing. Reading.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Working.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Um, I already did this, douchebitch.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Duh.

22. How many one-night stands?

Um, none.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

The Office. Or Pushing Daisies.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No. I try to hate sometimes, but it doesn't last long.

25. What was the best book you read?

Not Atonement, that's for damn sure.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Vampire Weekend, which I don't think counts, because Kat told me about them. But she always knows the good bands first.

27. What did you want and get?

An iPod. A new computer. A new phone. A new president.

28. What did you want and not get?

A new job.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

WALL-E!

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 26 and forgot to celebrate my birthday this year. Or I ran out of time. Either way, oops.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

T-shirts. And more t-shirts.

32. What kept you sane?

To Do lists.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Um, duh, Jim Halpert.

Question 34 was missing. Sorry. You can make up a question if you want and maybe I'll answer it.

35. Who did you miss?

You.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

This question is mean. I love all the new people I met this year.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Never throw anything out. You may need it for your blog one day. BONUS LESSON: don't crack open really old nuts.